Hate
by arkari
Summary: Virgil and Richie's friendship was always strong, but can it overcome this situation?
1. Discussions

Hate

Virgil and Richie's friendship was always strong, but can it overcome this situation?

arkari: I am not convinced with the title, again, but I hope the rest of the fic is okay. This story, and "Two" will be updated after my exams (in three weeks)I promise I try to post the new chaps asap.

I don't share any of Sean Foley's believes I wrote in this fic. I'm sorry if someone gets upset while reading them.

Now, onto the fic:

Chapter One: Discussion

-Robert's POV-

"So?" I ask, smiling. Sharon is on a date with Adam, so I had to cook the dinner. I can't believe how difficult is this... I worked so hard and, of course, I didn't get any satisfactory result. If Virgil didn't joke about my culinary skills, I'd buy a pizza. And my poor Sharon has the same trouble... well, it doesn't affect the fact she's a responsible, kind and hard-working daughter any parent would be proud of. And Virgil, he's just an excellent boy. And a superhero.

My boy and my girl. Jean would be so proud of them... I bet she is, watching us from the sky, wearing that sweet smile I love...

"Zoned out?" my son says, while his knife is doing his best effort against the meat I cooked.

I nod, trying to control the sadness that invaded my heart. "So, how was your day?"

"Oh, nothing interesting. High School is boring, the professors are torturing me and it seems Hotstreak and co are scared of us"  
"A quite patrolling"

"Yeah... although..." I am sure that Virgil's look isn't sad only because of the insipid meat. My parental sense is activated. I waited some seconds, but my son is still silent. I better ask. "Is Richie, right?"

A sigh is his only answer.

"Want to talk about it?"

"Well, I am sure it's nothing..." the worry of his eyes denies his words "... but Richie is kinda... strange"

"Strange?" I repeat, trying to get more information, although my intuition tells me I already know what is it about: the conversation I had with Richie, a week ago.

Virgil continues "Depressed, I'd say. But he swears it's nothing! I even asked him if it's because of his father (you know how idiot he is) and Richie stared at me. In that moment, he looked kinda scared"

"And what did he answer?"

"He said he was all right. Damn! I hate when he hides something from me... why he can't trust in me? Ain't he my best friend? And I'm sure this is related with Mr. Foley... if that son of a..."

"Virgil..." I try to calm him down, but the doorbell interrupts me. I open the door, finding the last person I ever wanted to see. "Foley!"

"Hawkins" he said, sharply, while his face contracted in a grimace. I realized he was drinking. Nothing good. I let him to come in, while a premonition of something bad invaded my mind.

"Please, Virgil, let me talk with Mr. Foley alone" my son nodded and went upstairs... or _acted_ he was going to go upstairs. I know he is going to listen our conversation. I didn't apart my sight from Foley's face. I could feel the hate and the fanaticism. "What happened?"

"Your son, that happened. This criminal ruined Richie. When he introduced me your son, I wished they never met. How right I was" Sean smirked "I always thought your _class _is dangerous. Gangs, cocaine, rapes... all of it having that rap music as background. Destroying the things people like me built. Destroying our effort. Destroying our country. Just criminals"

"And Richie?" I asked, trying to not provoke him. Angry and alcoholic, this man is dangerous. The hate of his voice is making me sick, but I want to know where is Richie, and if he is all right.

"He escaped from our home!" Mr. Foley is wrathful. A sound distracted me from his words: Virgil opening the window of his bedroom. Virgil, no _Static Shock_, leaving in his search of his friend. I smiled softly, but the irritated man saw my expression.

"Yeah. It's all funny for you, isn't it Hawkins?"  
"Any idea of why Richie would escape?"

"You should know. You gave him the advice" his rage is increasing more and more

"What are you talking about, Foley?" but I know, I know...

"That bastard of yours. Corrupting Richie. Thanks to him, my son became a queer. A queer! Bringing the disgrace to our family. Turning my family into a mockery!"

Richie confessed. Poor kid, what a situation. I still remember how pensive he was when we conversed.

-------------Flashback-----------

"Mr. Hawkins... can I ask you something?"

"Sure" Richie always had questions to do. The normal curiosity of a teenager. He knows he can ask me anything, I won't be mad. I know his parents never gave him the attention he needs.

"What will you say... I mean... if a son of yours. Can I try again?" he smiled sadly "I got a friend (not Virgil) who discovered something about him. Something... disappointing"

"I see... and what do you think about it? Is that really disappointing?" I encourage him to keep talking about this "friend": Richard Osgood Foley, of course.

"I dunno. It's not... normal. And he tries to be normal... but he fails"

"Nobody can hide the truth about oneself. Being :normal, as you say, and I'm sure you mean :like everybody else, isn't important. Your friend should accept himself just the way he is"

Richie meditated "The way I am..."

"Adolescence is a hard stage. Full of changes, plans, questions, discovers, indecision, confusion. Mostly confusion, because you are growing up. Your friend could be going through a passing phase... he'll probably wake up one day and find he's :normal: again and that the whole thing was a confusion. Or not, and he have got to accept him and think (because your friend must be intelligent) that this change doesn't destroy his whole qualities. Your friend is a great person, he shouldn't be ashamed or blaming himself. I am sure this thing he discovered won't impede his happiness. Tell your friend he's not alone, a lot of people care about him and they'll support him, no matter what he decides"

He blinked, surprised. Later, a smirk crossed his face "You are terrible, Mr. Hawkins! I bet you know I'm talking about homosexuality..."

"Knowing things. That's my job" I placed my hand on his shoulder "And tell your friend this conversation is strictly confidential. This secret will be safe, until, of course, you think you are ready to reveal it"

Richie blushed, and lowed his head "Thanks, Mr. Hawkins... thanks a lot"

--------------------End of Flashback------------------

"There's nothing bad about being homosexual, Foley. Your son was confused and he needed the support he deserves. You don't realize you have a wonderful son, no matter which is his sexual orientation" I answer

"Listen to me, Hawkins. Queers are a disgrace. For themselves -because they lose the respect of the others- For their families -you are smart, you know why- And for the rest of the society -because they are messengers of the promiscuity, of the pathology; they are enemies of the family; and they bug the rest of the normal people when they scream asking for rights they don't deserve-. Queers, blacks, vagabonds... menaces of the society. And thanks to you and your son I have one of them living under my roof!"

"Foley! It's no sense!" I scream, irritated. Hate. Scorn. Fanaticism. I found Hitler II.

"You think?" his lips twisted into a bitter smile "What if I am right? What if I take the cause off? Will the problem be fixed?"

His hand hid into the pocket of his overcoat, and pulled out a gun.

I can't believe it

I am frozen

I can't move. Or yell. Or nothing!

While Mr. Foley aims at me. And the sound of a shoot perforates the silence.

Jean...

Sharon...

Virgil...

Richie...

My chest hurts. I can fell the heat of the metal inside my flesh. I can fell my blood staining my shirt. I am falling on the floor. Thoughts are whirling in my head. Oh, my God...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	2. We'll always be friends, no matter what

**Hate**

arkari: Sorry x the delay, but I gotta study a lot. Snif, professors are so cruel… ; . ;

red turtle: Yes, I think the same. I mean, Sean doesn't look tolerant at all, I bet he didn't change his believes. About the grammar, you're right. I need some backup…

Moonjava: I don't love him, neither. It's amazing Richie is his son…

Zizzy3: I appreciate your review a lot. I like slash, but I don't think this fic will contain it.

Guardiangirl1: Here is the new chap! I hope u like it

StarStar16: I hate that man. I don't know how Richie can bear him…

Kate Maxwell: Thanks x the review!

Shadow Star: Yeah, I admit it… my grammar really sucks.

Ebon's girl: Thank you so much x reviewing. I hope I don't have to study that much again, so the new chaps could be written and uploaded as soon as possible.

Chapter Two: We'll always be friends

-Virgil's POV-

Wind is messing my hair. It's cold. Horribly cold. I take my ShockBox, this act inaugurates my search. I start with the obvious and deliciously simple option.

"Richie?"

The word _deliciously_ reminds me I didn't have a decent dinner. I know where did Sharon take it from. It's genetic, damn genetic.

"Richie? Come on, bro, I know you're listening"

Silence.

"Could you be gentle and stop scaring the hell on me?" I beg

"Fine..." his voice sounds tearful.

"Where are you?"

"Don't be mad, V. I need to be alone"

"Our Gas Station of Solitude, right?"

"Virg..."

"You don't expect that I obey you, do you?"

My ShockBox sighs

"I'm on my way. At least let me accompany you. I promise I will keep my mouth shut"

"You'd do such a _huge_ effort for me?"

Good sign: his sense of humor is slowly returning.

"Friendship implies sacrifices. That's why I won't hit you because of your last comment"

"Okay. Besides... I bet you were going to come here, no matter how much I beg for peace and tranquility"

"Hah! You are so wrong..."

"Later, liar"

I lied, fine. I can't bear to know Richie is suffering. I meditated about my friendship with him, a lot of times. "Know yourself" Sharon told me, and I think it's a good advice. Actually... her real words were "Know yourself and try to find why are you so unbearable" but that's not the point.

Let's see, again:

What does Richie mean to me?

Years ago, I'd answer: "a good friend". Now, I realized it's more than friendship. He is my _brother_. The brother I always wanted... an "adoptive brother" if we want to talk appropriately. Yeah, I love Sharon too, that's why I criticize her cooking: I love her and I help her to improve. And... well, I know Sharon, deep in her soul, very deep in her soul, very, very, _very_ deep in her soul... loves me back.

There are things I can't share with Sharon, but with Richie. When did he become another member of my family? It's hard to know...

Static Shock's businesses influenced; so did Pops holding him in great esteem. Ha, I even caught him calling Richie _"son"_ a couple of times. Mmmm... isn't he wanting to replace me, is he? Let's get serious again, please...

We all know the way his parents treat him. Even Sharon. Believe it or not, she asked me to invite him home a lot of times. Of course, she will _never_ admit she likes Richie too. But she can't fool me, no matter how many times she calls him "annoyance", or "bug", or "unwelcome guest", or "the plague of our fridge"...

Call me idiot, but I can't understand how a person like Richie has a... which word could describe him? Disagreeable? Egocentric? Asshole? Poor Pops, alone with _him_. What kind of idiotic reasons against our friendship is he saying, right now? Oh, I know: "different colors don't mix". Shit. He can cry all he wants, but I won't let him win this. Nothing will take me apart of Richie.

Here I am. Who would suspect that inside this dirty, infested with rats and cockroaches, and devastated Gas Station are the two famous superheroes of Dakota City? I slowly enter.

"Richie?"

"Here..." my brother is sit on the table, his hands are holding a zap-cap. He'd been crying, the skin near his eyes is stained with furious red. I can see some screwdrivers and wires, next to him.

I sit on the floor in front of Richie, who returned to his work. He can't concentrate on the zap-cap. And I wouldn't, neither, if my father was a dictator who doesn't care about his son's happiness but about himself. My partner leaves his unfinished work on the table, frustrated.

I don't wanna talk, because I respect his suffering. I hope my presence is enough to tell him he's not alone, that my family and I care about him, that we will always friend. He gave me a soft smile, in his eyes, the tears are trying to escape "Bored? I'm sorry for the silence, but..."

"It's okay, Richie. Talk when you are ready... and if you don't wanna talk, fine. I understand"

"Thanks..." sadness invaded his words "Although you'd never understand"

"Try me"

"I just... can't bear him! I hate him, Virgil... I hate him!"

"Richie..."

"You don't know how lucky you are... having a family that loves you. They never loved me, you know? I was... an _damned_ _accident_. That was the words my mother used... _damned_ _accident_. I fucked their careers... and I was the bound that linked two persons that barely bear each other. I founded my family, as an _damned accident_"

How could I stop this pain that invaded me? And what can I tell him? What can I do? How could I help him? I'm hypnotized by his pathetic monologue. I want to say something, but the words are stuck in my throat. Richie doesn't seem to look at me; he's lost in his thoughts. And I'm here, useless, sharing his miseries, listening revelations I didn't want to know. That _nobody _would want to know.

"No, I didn't have a good start. I wish I could say it turned better. I always got sick, my mother practically lived inside the Hospital. More nuisance. And what about my father? Well, he always had the hope I was like him: football player, winner, Casanova. Look at me. As for him, I am a living failure. The _tolerance_... because I think that's the only feeling he would have for me... his tolerance... vanished when I confessed him I am..."

I never saw Richie cry. His hands cover his face, while a hundred, a million sobs break the silence, hurting my ears. I feel infinity sadness, total desolation. I can't react, the psychic pain is uncontrollable.

MOVE! DO SOMETHING! NOW!

I rose up, walking towards him. My arms wrapped his chest. Slowly, I guided his forehead to my right shoulder. Richie is crying louder, while I am patting his back. My mother used to comfort me like this...

How could his parents be so merciless.

There's no logical reason/excuse for what they did.

_I hate them._

My brother is calming down, he is separating from me "V... I'm... sorry... I didn't want... to bother you..."

"Damn, Richie! You're suffering a lot and you care about being annoying..."

His cheeks are completely red, his eyes are irritated "Thanks... for..."

"Don't" I shake my head, emphasizing my words "There is no thank between friends, remember that?"

He nods, a smile is forcing to reemerge. It's time to act, Virgil.

"Don't believe in... what you hear, Richie. Never. Promise me you will never repeat those words, again. You are not an accident, but a worthy person. Keep it in mind"

"But..."

"Promise me"

"Yeah"

"You are not alone, and you will never be alone. Not as long as my family and I live. You are important for us, got it? You... you are like... a brother to me"

Should I say it? Oh, shit, bad move... it was soooooo a bad move. He is moving away, his head is so low that it's gonna touch the floor. I stood quiet, his back is all I can see

"Ri..."

"I need to tell you something. The reason my father and I fought..."

Richie sighed loud "I... I am gay, Virgil"


End file.
